HEALTH minister Ben Bradshaw was last night accused of "talking down the NHS" in the Westcountry in an increasingly bitter row about the future of cancer services in the region.

In a radio interview this week, Mr Bradshaw said that of patients undergoing upper gastro-intestinal cancer surgery in Cornwall, "twice as many people (are) dying unnecessarily who are being treated there compared to the mortality in Plymouth".

"These are real lives being lost, people in Cornwall dying unnecessarily... it would be grossly irresponsible for the people in Cornwall who are responsible for delivering high-quality healthcare to the people in the county not to recommend the centralisation in Plymouth."

He based his comments on figures showing 39 per cent of patients treated in Cornwall died within a year compared with 21 per cent in Plymouth.

But his remarks sparked fury from opponents campaigning to keep specialist cancer services in Cornwall and not see them moved to Plymouth.

They pointed to a review of oesophago-gastric cancer services by eminent surgeons Professor Mike Griffin and Bill Allum which found the mortality rate over 54 months was only 12.5 per cent in Cornwall.

St Ives MP Andrew George seized on Mr Bradshaw's comments made in an interview with BBC Radio Cornwall.

"If he had got his facts right, he might have a point, but he clearly hasn't read the review of upper GI services at Treliske by Professor Griffin," said Mr George.

"Mr Bradshaw is guilty of scaremongering, offending the hardworking and dedicated clinical staff of a local hospital and of talking down the NHS."

He accused Mr Bradshaw of advocating "Whitehall diktats and no local decisions".

"He should apologise to the people of Cornwall and apologise to the clinical staff he will have clearly offended by his remarks."

But last night Mr Bradshaw, who is also Minister for the South West, insisted he would "make no apology for speaking up for patient safety".

He said it was a fundamental duty of the NHS to deliver the best possible chances of survival for all patients.

"Andrew George is wrong. The independent report into upper GI cancer services in the peninsular found that the mortality rate at the Royal Cornwall was more than double the average for larger specialist units."

He added that data reported to the South West Cancer Registry for 2003 to 2006 also showed the mortality rate at the Royal Cornwall was double the rate at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

A spokesman for the South West Strategic Health Authority said the review of the treatment of upper gastro-intestinal cancer found the service was "not sustainable" in Cornwall.

"It is important to note that this is a rare cancer affecting around 20 to 25 patients a year in Cornwall and that surgery is a small part of their treatment – all other care treatment and support will continue to be delivered locally."